A recent ceasefire deal that was brokered by the U.S., Russia and Jordan “does not meet Israel’s unequivocal demand” that no Iranian and Iranian proxy forces like Hezbollah can be located anywhere near Israel’s border.
Israel’s regional cooperation minister, Tzachi Hanegbi said that the deal “does not meet Israel’s unequivocal demand there will not be developments that bring the forces of Hezbollah or Iran to the Israel-Syria border in the north.”
The brokered ceasefire involves separating the various factions. However, it permits Iran-backed forces to be as close as about 4.5 miles from the Israeli border with Syria on the Golan Heights.
Israel reportedly asked Russia to guarantee that Iran and its proxy forces would be kept at least 25 miles from the Israeli border as part of any ceasefire deal.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has also said that Israel “will not allow the Shiite axis to be established in Syria as a base for action.”
Even though we view favorably the agreement on the need to eliminate the foreign forces — namely, the Iranian forces, Hezbollah and the Shiite militias from the area — the test will be on the ground, not in words but in deeds,” Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz added.
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